Family Mech
by Smokes91
Summary: The Autobots find Optimus Prime's long lost son... That he never spoke about.
1. Chapter 1

The autobots were out on a mission, when they reached a house and heard a mech calling for help.

"Please, anybody. Help me" he kept yelling, until the bots found a way to get to him.

But this was going to take a while. "Can't I just blow it?" Ironhide asked.

"Sure. If you want to kill him" Ratchet stated, fairly annoyed that Ironhide would even think of it.

"What? It was an idea" Ironhide stated, this was pushing Ratchet further.

"Look we have no idea what kind of state he's in" Ratchet stated. He pulled out a tiny spy fly. "We can use this to find out what faction he's from, and in what condition we expect to find him in" Ratchet announced, turning the fly on, and data-bursting it an order.

The fly flew into a small hole in the wall and looked around, until it found what it was looking for. But the mech wasn't happy about it. "What the frag is that?" he snapped.

"It's just a spy fly. It won't hurt you. It just wants to scan your optics, to find out your faction. Then scan the area, as to find out what condition you're in and how we could get in. That's all" Ratchet announced, trying to calm the mech inside.

"Fine" the mech stated, and allowed the spy fly to do it's job. The fly scanned his deep blue optics, then scanned the area and finally found a possible way in.

When the fly got back to Ratchet, he immediately uploaded the information. He data-burst he connection code, and looked at the information. He then turned to Ironhide, and data-burst him a picture of the mechs situation, possible ways in, and possible future situation if the mech was not reached soon. Ironhide cringed at the sight. Ratchet wanted more information, "What's your name?" he asked, but recieved no answer. He yelled out louder to get the mechs attentin. "What's your name?" he yelled.

The mech quickly opened his optics and tried to think. The weight on top of him was finally getting to him. "Um... Starflax sir" Starflax stated, trying his best to stay away, but he was tired and weak.

"Well Starflax, my name is Ratchet, and my partners name is Ironhide. We're going to get you out" Ratchet stated. "Now Ironhide is going to talk to you for a while, ok?" Ratchet asked, hoping that they could get to Starflax before he offlined.

"Yes sir" Flax stated.

"Alright, Starflax. I'm Ironhide, I just want you to talk to me ok" Ironhide announced.

"Yes sir. What about?" Flax asked, unable to think too hard.

"Anything. I'll pick a subject, and you talk about. Alright?" Ironhide asked, quickly thinking of a subject to keep Flax talking. "How did you get here?" he asked.

"I was shipped here after Megatron's forces attacked. You see... I was sparked into a family with two older sisters. I was automatically sparked as an autobot, seeing as though both my parents were autobots. I was brought up as a neutral, and offered the chance to choose a side when I got older. But I wouldn't change to the decepticons... Not after Megatron attacked our town. We were attacked and killed everyone in site. I was able to escape, with the help from my family, and I was shipped to Earth. I tried to hide, but Megatron was... Was keen on finiching what he started. He tracked me here, and attacked me. I couldn't fight back" Flax explained, pain showing in his voice as the memories came flooing back. Starflax never found out what happened to his family.

"It's alright, Megatron won't hurt you anymore. Not while I'm around" Ironhide stated, Starflax just smiled, realising he finally found them. He found the autobots, and they were trying desperately to help him. Starflax coughed and winced as the weight above him became heavier and heavier on his chest and abdomon. "Starflax? You ok?" Ironhide asked.

Starflax winced a little more. "Yeah. Just this weight is starting to really hurt" he explained.

"It's ok. We're going to get you out" Ironhide stated. Then he turned his attention to the medic. "Ratchet. We have to get to him now!" he snapped.

"Really? I hadn't noticed" Ratchet said sacastically. He was still desperately searching for a way in. When finally, hope. He found a door, that appeared to be fragile and broken. he tried to push it, and it shifted, but was locked. He punched it in, and it fell. "Ironhide. Got it, we're in" he yelled.

"Starflax, Ratchet's in. I'm coming around, we'll have you out soon" Ironhide stated, running to catch up to Ratchet.

"Ok" he said, weakly. Starflax could hear the two other mechs as they moved through the house, trying to reach the wounded mech in the middle of, what appeared to be a lounge room. Finally they broke through the last barrier between them and the injuried mech. Starflax was happy to see them. "What took you so long?" he asked jokingly, trying his best to lighten the mood.

Ratchet looked at the weight that Starflax had spoken of earlier. "How long have you been here?" he asked.

"About two earth days" Starflax answered.

"Ratch. How can we move that without hurting him more?" Ironhide asked, pointing at the huge slab of concrete of Starflax's chest and abdomon.

"Carefully. But we can't do it alone. That thing is going to be heavy. Conact Optimus, and get him to bring Prowl, Mirage and Sideswipe with him" Ratchet said, looking at the weapons specialist.

Starflax was listening carefully to their conversation, and almost jumped in surprise at the name 'Optimus'. "Optimus?" he asked, gaining Ratchet and Ironhide's attention. "As in Optimus Prime?" he continued.

"Yes" Ironhide stated.

Starflax closed his optics, and smiled. "I can't believe it. How did he survive?" he asked himself, loud enough for the others to hear.

"You know Optimus?" Ratchet asked.

Starflax opened his optics, and looked up at the two mechs in front of him. "I should... He's my father" he stated.

* * *

What will happen in the next chapter?

You'll just have to wait and find out.

Review and tell me what you think...


	2. Chapter 2

Ratchet stood silent for a moment, while Ironhide finally data-burst Optimus that he and the others were needed. Starflax finally broke the silence. "Please... You can't tell Optimus about me when he gets here... I won't him to figure it out. And if he doesn't... I want to tell him" Starflax made a very reasonable request. Ironhide and Ratchet both nodded.

It didn't take them long for Optimus, Prowl, Mirage and Sideswipe to arrive at the co-ordinates Ironhide data-burst them. When they did Optimus looked at the mech on the floor, and winced as he saw what was on top of him. "How long has he been here?" Optimus asked.

"He said, about two earth days" Ratchet replied.

Optimus looked back at the mech on the floor. "How did you get here?" he asked.

Starflax looked up at him. 'He hasn't changed a bit' he thought to himself. Then he answered. "I was trying to escape Megatron when I was attacked. I've been here ever since... An if you don't mind..." he started. Then his face showed pain. "This concrete is starting to really hurt" he finished, trying to block out the pain.

Optimus noddded. Then turned to Ratchet. "Alright, you're the medic. You take over. You know how to do this" Optimus stated, taking a step back, to allow Ratchet to sort out how to get the slab off the mech, without causing too much pain.

"Alright. Optimus, Ironhide, Prowl, Sideswipe. I want you to get onto each corner of the slab. Get a good drip on it, and wait until further orders" Ratchet snapped, Optimus wasn't worried. Not when it came to injured bots. "Mirage. I want you to come up, and talk to him. Talk, interact, hold him down if you have to. But I want you to keep him concious and on the ground" Ratchet announced, turning his attention to Mirage. Mirage just nodded, and walked up to Starflax, kneeling down next to his head, and looked down on him.

Mirage needed a good conversation starter. He wasn't good at this stuff. But tried anyway. "You got a name?" he asked. Starflax nodded. "You gonna tell me?" he asked. Starflax shock his head. "Why not?" Mirage was curious that this new mech didn't want to tell him his name.

"Cause I don't want to tell you yet. Hope I didn't offend you" Flax said.

Mirage shock his head. "It's alright. I trust you have a good reason" he said. "How old are you?" Mirage asked, still thinking about how crappy he is at comforting injured bots.

"That's a pretty personal question isn't it?" Flax asked.

Mirage smiled down at the mech. "I guess it is. I'm sorry" Flax smiled back up at Mirage.

Ratchet was content that Mirage was helping keep Starflax's mind off the slab and on Mirage. He looked at the slab, and knew that no matter how careful they were, this was going to hurt. "Alright, take the weight" Ratchet said, watching as the four mechs started taking most of the weight off Starflax. Starflax winced, but Mirage started stroking his cheek plates. Ratchet watched as Mirage and Starflax started really getting to know each other. "Alright, lift... Carefully" Ratchet said. The four mechs started slowly and carefully lifting the concrete, and as expected... It was heavy.

Starflax cried out. "Oh fragging... Primus that hurts" he yelled.

Mirage placed a hand on Starflax's shoulder, and began to kneed. "It's alright, you going be ok" he comforted Flax.

"Hold there" Ratchet said, and got down to look under the slab. Making sure that they weren't pulling any wires or cables out as well. He then noticed the energon trickle down Starflax's side. "Take it up another four inches" the mechs lifted it more. He Flax cried out more. Ratchet realised that something was wrong. He turned to Starflax. "Where does it hurt?" he asked.

"Right side of abdomon" he announced weakly.

Ratchet quickly got up and moved over to Starflax's other side. He looked but couldn't see anything. He carefully slid his hand between the slab and Flax's abdomon. He felt around, until his hand hit a metal bar. It was connected to the concrete slab, and was impaled in Starflaxes abdomon. "FRAG!" he yelled, giving everyone a shock.

"Ratchet? What is it?" Ironhide asked.

"The reason it's hurting so much, is that a metal bar connected to the slab has impaled itself in his side" Ratchet stated. Everyone in the room, including Starflax, was terrified of what would happen if they can't get the mech back to the base quickly. Ratchet continued to explain. "As far as I can tell, it fells like it is above his main energon tank. So if we just pulled it out, he's going to loose too much energon, an die" Ratchet explained.

Starflax stared at Optimus, and couldn't believe that he still didn't regonise his own son. He decided that if he was going to die, he at least wanted his father to know who he was. "You still don't remember me do you?" he asked. Optimus looked at him, but shock his head. "No, I guess it has been along time, and I kinda have grown up... But I still would have thought you would remember your own son" he snapped.

Optimus stared deep into his optics. "Starflax" he said, completely shaken by the fact that his son survived this long. "Oh god... Why didn't you say anything earlier?" he asked.

"Because I didn't think I was going to die earlier... I was hoping you would regonise me by now" Starflax stated, but then he felt weak. "Oh primus" he wimpered.

"Stay with me" Mirage said stroking Starflax's cheek. "Stay with me".

"RATCHET!" Optimus called, Ratchet watched as the mech couldn't handle the pain anymore, and offlined.


	3. Chapter 3

Ratchet knew he had to do something, otherwise Starflax would die before they even got him out of the house. "Ratchet" he heard his name, he turned to the source. "Ratchet, please do something. I lost him once... I don't want to loose him again" Prime snapped.

Ratchet nodded, and looked down at the offline mech. "I'm sorry Ratch. I didn't mean..." Mirage stated, but was quickly cut off.

Ratchet knelt down, and put a hand on Mirage's shoulder. "It's alright. The pain became too much for his bady to handle" Ratchet explained. The Ratchet got up, his hand retracted and was replaced by a saw. He knelt down next to Starflax. "Alright, take it up. Not to high" he snapped. The four mechs lifted it up about two inches. "Little more" ratchet said. And they kept lifting until Ratchet was able to get the saw in between the slab and Starflax's abdomon. "Hold there" he said, laying down. The four mechs held, and Ratchet positioned he saw barely an inch off the metal bar, and turned it on. He puched it through the metal quite easily and seperated the slab from Starflax. "Alright, get that out of here" he snapped, the mechs lifted it up and took it outside... Where they could put it out of everyone's way.

When the four mechs came back in, they saw Ratchet kneeling by Starflax. He was scanning him. "How is he?" Optimus asked. 'What a stupid question' he thought to himself.

"He spark is slightly weaker than I would have hoped. But so far he's stable. I need to get him back to base quickly, and do emergency surgery" Ratchet explained.

Optimus nodded. He turned to where Ironhide, Mirage, Prowl and Sideswipe were standing. "Alright listen up. We need to get Starflax back to base" he snapped. Optimus started trailing off, unable to think with his long lost, fatally wounded son just lying there.

Ironhide could see the pain in his optics, and immediately took over the situation. "Proal, Mirage. You two carry him back to base. Sideswipe, comm First Aid and let him know we're coming" he ordered, not worried if anyone argued... But no one argued, knowing that that injured mechs life came first, everyone jumped to their assigned task. Ironide turned to Optimus, seeing the totally and utter agaony in his optics. He put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"This is the secong time I've lost him, Hide" Optimus said, watching Prowl and Mirage carefully pick up the unconious mech.

"You can't blame yourself sir" Ironhide said.

"I know Ironhide. But I can't help it" Optimus stated, walking out of the house.

When the finally got back to the base, Ratchet ordered for Starflax to be placed on the berth, and forced everyone out... Including Optimus. Prime refused to leave the waiting room, until Starflax was either safe, and recovering nicely. Or, primus forbid... Dead. And wouldn't leave, even when Ratchet tried to force him to get some rest. He just fell into recharge on one of the chairs, but was ready to spring, when Ratchet came out. Almost giving Ratchet a spark attack more than once. Finally it was Bumblebee that was able to convince the mighty Optimur Prime to leave and get some recharge time. Nobody could figure out how, but was happy he did.

A week later, Ratchet came out of the med bay and was prepared to have Prime jump on him again. But was surprised to see Optimus wasn't there. "Well. Bumblebee really convinced him to recharge. He needs it" he said to himself. He commed Red Alert in the command centre. _'Red'_

_'Yeah Ratch'_

_'I need you to call an emergancy meeting'_

_'Can do Ratchet'_

_'Thanks Red Alert'_

He walked back into the med bay, and looked at the recharging mech. 'He should wake within the hour' he thought to himself, and walked out as the p.a. system was ordering the meeting.

When he got down to the main hanger, he was met by quite a few anger bots. "Come on Ratch... I have things to do"

"Yeah, what the frag?"

"And bots wonder why I can't concentrate"

Then another voice was booming out. "Enough. I'm sure Ratchet had a good reason to call this meeting" Optimus announced, looking down at the medic.

"Yes, i have finally finished repairing Starflax, and he seems to be recovering. But... I will need all of you to take turns in looking after him" Ratchet announced. He looked at all the confused faces. "I can't watch him 24/7. And I can't have him stay in the med bay for too long. He needs to get out and about... So I trust you will all agree?" he asked, to his surprise, no one was arguing against it.

"Is he alright?" Sides asked. He could still remember the state they found Flax in, and it wasn't pretty.

"I believe he will make a full recovery" Ratchet stated.

"I'll organise a roster. Until he is use to his surroundings and he is in good health... Then we will stop the roster, but until then... He will need our help" Prowl explained.

Then suddenly another, a new voice was thrwn into the mix. "So you think I need a sparkling sitter?" everyone turned their attention to the door, and there in front of them... Stood Starflax.

"What are you doing? You should be down in the med bay" Ratchet asked, walking up and helping Flax over to a seat.

Ratchet sat Starflax down, gaining painful winces from the wounded, still recovering mech. "I heard that there was an emergency meeting, and if my dad taught me anothing... It was always obey orders" he explained, not taking his optics off Optimus.

"Starflax please..." Optimus started. But was abruptly cut off.

"No dad... You taught me to follow orders, and that's what Im trying to do" Starflax stated, trying to get up. But felt Ratchet strong hand push him back down.

"Wow. I didn't know you had a son" Red Alert stated.

"Oh really... G on dad, why don't you tell your 'friends', why you failed to mention you had a son" Starflax said. But optimus just stood there, trying to think of something. "Were you that ashamed of me, that you didn't want to tell anyone that you possibly had a son out there somewhere?" Starflax asked. Optimus looked at him, with pure sadness in his optics... He was that upset about what he had done, he started tearing up... But quickly hid it from his mechs.


	4. Chapter 4

Starflax stared at his father. He couldn't believe Optimus had nothing to say about it. To Ratchet's surprise, Starflax broke from his grip and backed away from everyone. "I see... You were ashamed of me" he snapped, looking away from Optimus.

Optimus walked towards Starflax. "No Flax, I was never ashamed of you. I love you, always have and always will" he started. Starflax looked back at him, and realised that he had closed the gap, so he backed away. "Please. I loved your mother and sisters aswell" Optimus continued.

Starflax looked straight into his optics. "Wait... Loved, as in... Past tense?" he asked, looking at the sadness in Optimus' optics.

Optimus, looked down and nodded. "Yes. I'm sorry" he said.

"They didn't make it out?" Starflax asked, trying to hold the sadness back.

"No. I couldn't save them" Optimus stated. Looking at his son. "But I never stopped thinking about you" he said, placing a hand on Starflax's shoulder.

"Then why did you keep me from them?!" he yelled.

"I didn't want my mechs to worry about my past. Ok, I didn't know whether you were in the galaxy let alone on this planet. The chances were a million to one" Optimus explained. "But I never once stopped thinking about you" Optimus stated. Starflax gave an amused chuckle. Then Optimus opened his chest plates, and pulled a large locket out. He gave it to Starflax. "Open it" he said.

Starflax opened the locket and looked inside. What he saw made him nearly break down. He saw his family; his dad, mum, two big sisters, then him saw himself. Back when he actually had a family. He then flicked through all the pictures, his dad had pictures of his mum, his two sisters and him. He half remembered most of the pictures, when they were taken a where... He remembered being so happy when he was around his family. I then closed the locket and read the engrazing on it. 'Always thinking of you'. Starflax dropped to his knees, and began to sob. Only just realising what he had done. "Dad. I'm so sorry" he sobbed.

Optimus, knelt down and pulled him into a hug. "It's alright. It's alright" he said, holding his son tightly.

"I am so sorry. I just didn't know" Starflax whispered. Putting his arms around Optimus, and returning the hug. "I love you dad" he said.

This caught Optimus completely off guard. But then he pulled Starflax in tighter and stood up, with Starflax in his arms. "I love you too Flax" he said. "But you need to rest. Please, go back to the med bay" Optimus asked.

"I don't want to leave you" Starflax stated, burying into Optimus' chest, falling back into recharge.

Optimus looked aroung at all his mechs. "Sir I would really like to get him back onto a berth" Ratchet stated.

"Alright" Optimus stated, looking down to see that Starflax was already in recharge. "I'll take him down" he said. He walked past all his mechs to reach the door, and they all looked at the mech in his arms... Some quietly stated, that Starflax did have a resemblance to Optimus. This made Optimus smile, as he walked out of the main hanger, and made his way to the med bay. When he got there, he placed Starflax on the berth. "I love you son... No matter what happens, I will never let anything happen to you again" Optimus whispered, stroking Starflax's arm. "I promise... I'll never let you go" he announced.


End file.
